Hundreds of police officers deployed ahead of elections

Mombasa, KENYA: Hundreds of police officers have been deployed in Mombasa county and the Coast region at large to provide security during the voting exercise scheduled for Tuesday, security officials have said.

Mombasa county police chief Paterson Maelo told Baraka FM on Monday that progress of briefing the officers, as well as deploying them had began in the five sub-county areas.

“OCPDs are in charge of deploying police officers, in every sub county they will be dispatched to various polling stations across the county as from five in the evening,” said the police boss.

He noted that all necessary equipment, to be used by police officers in the line of their duties had also been dispersed to various polling stations.

“Among those deployed in various polling stations are officers drawn from the flying squad as well as CID officers.” Police boss added.

Security officials arrive at Tudor day secondary polling station where election Materials for Mvita constituency are being held. PHOTO: JANET MURIKIRA.

Meanwhile, police have urged for calm among residents of Kiembieni, Mombasa, after leaflets were distributed urging locals to vote in for the incumbent Governor Ali Hassan Joho,failure to which they would face dire consequences.

Mr Maelo said the matter had been handed over to the CID officers and officers from the cyber crime unit are analyzing CCTV footage of the alleged persons and vehicles believed to have distributed the said leaflets.

In Kilifi county, the second contingent of GSU officers arrived in the county ahead of Tuesday’s election exercise.

Their arrival comes a few days after leaflets asking communities perceived to be coming from other parts of the country to leave at once.

Kilifi police commander Wacira Mathenge revealed that KDF is expected later in the day to help boost security.

On the other hand, Kilifi county commissioner Joseph Keter has assured residents in the county that the security is guaranteed and tight ahead of tomorrow’s general elections.

Keter said on Monday that already the security committee has established a County Multi-agency command Centre for ease of security coordination during the elections.

Speaking, during a press briefing in his office, the commissioner said the security personnel would be drawn from various units of the internal security but failed to rule out the use of the Kenya Defense Forces during the election time.

“I don’t want to say we will use the Kdf officers but I assure you that we will use all security forces in this Country if need be to salvage the situation at the disposal. I think even the Kenya Defense Forces would not sit back and watch Kenyans suffer in the hands of few hooligans,” Keter added.

He said they have sent detectives to investigate some people suspected to have been giving out lessons related to insecurity to some unlawful groups.

He said the groups will be dealt with accordingly.

“We have the information that there are some people, who used to be of high profile in government who have been giving insecurity related training. We have already sent detectives to investigate that and immediately we are through with it soon we will inform you,” he added.

He urged voters to leave the polling stations and go home after voting to avoid unnecessary chaos which would turn sour to them.